Merle j



(No Model.)

' M. J. WIGHTMAN.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

N0. 345%61. Patented July 13, 1886.

Iva/@7707.

N Ens PhMa-Lnhognphor. Wanhmgww D4C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERLE J. \VIGHTMAN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE TO THE SCHUYLEEELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,561, dated July 13,1886,

Serial No. 170,984.

(No model) To (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MERLE J. Wronrnmw, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRegulators for Electric Circuits, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a means for regulating the flow of an electriccurrent to one or more translating devicessuch, for instance, asincandescent electric lam psbut is designed more especially forapplication to a group or number of incandescent lamps or othertranslating devices arranged in multiple arc with one another.

I have in the present specification described the group of lamps asarranged in series with other devices upon an electric circuitsuch, forinstance, as electric-arc lamps or other groups of incandescentlampssince the application of the device to circuits known as seriesmultiple-arc circuits designed for running olectricarc and incandescentlamps together is one of the more important uses to which it is intendedto be put. I do not wish, however, to be understood as limiting myselfto such particular arrangement.

My invention consists in the combination, with any device whereby theflow of current to the translating devices may be regulated, adjusted,or determined, of a derived circuit to the translating devices,containing a coil by which the regulating devices may be set oroperated, and a second coil acting on the same devices and combined withsuitable means whereby its effects may be automatically varied accordingto the set or adj ustrnent effected by the operation of thederived-circuit coil. The two coils are preferably main and derivedcircuit coils, and act in the ordinary dii'ferential manner-tl1at is tosay, they oppose one anothers effects either mechanically orelectro-magnetically, so that the resultant action upon thecurrentadjusting devices is the resultant of the opposing actions of thetwo coils. It is not, however, neces sary that the two coils should actin opposi tion to one another, or that the second coil should be in themain circuit, as the same. re

sults may be attained by causing the coils to conspire in pullingagainst a retractor. In the first case the difference of the effects ofthe two coils is to be kept within certain limits. In the latter casethe sum of their ef fects is to be so regulated or controlled (throughautomatic variation of the effects of the second coil) that there shallbe secured the conipensation aimed at in my invention.

The especial object of my invention is to effect an adjustment of thecurrent-regulating devices by means of the current diverted into thederived-circuit coil on an increase of resistance in the translatingdevices or group of devices, and at the same time to provide a meanswhereby the adjusting devices shall be prevented from falling back totheir original position after an adjustment has been effected throughthe diminished strength of action of the derivedcircuit coil consequentupon such adjustment.

My invention consists in giving to the sec ond coil a decreasing orincreasing effect automatically in accordance with the movement given tothe adjusting devices by theaction of the derived-circuit coil, so thatthe difference or the sum of their effects may be properly regulated, aswill presently appear, and said devices may be held in their newadjusted position by the action of the derivedcircuit coil.

The device for regulating the flow of current to the translating devicesmay be of any kind or pattern. As an effective arrangement for suchpurposes, in connection with the particular arrangement of translatingapparatus that I have herein shown, I prefer to employ a variableresistance placed in a shunt or derived circuit around the translatingdevices, the mechanism for adjusting such resistance being operated bythe current in the derived-circuit coil modified by the action of thecurrent in the second coil.

As a preferred means of varying or adjusting the effect of the secondcoil when the same is a maiu-circuit coil and opposes the effects of thederived-circuit coil, I propose to employ a variable resistance in ashunt or derived circuit around said coils, and for the sake of economyI utilize the same resistance that is employed for varying the dew ofcurtranslating devices.

.sist of a series of electric lamps arranged in parallel circuits andcombined with the switch appliances in such .way that the number oflamps in multiple arc may be increased for the purpose of decreasing theresistance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, I have represented in sideelevation and in diagram an arrangement of circuits and magnets wherebymy invention may be carried out. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating anarrangement in which the second coil aids the derived-circuit coil andvaries in its action in such way that the sum of the effects shall bekept at such point as to properly hold the adjusting devices in a newadjusted position.

E indicates a group of incandescent lamps or other translating devicesarranged in multiple arc with one another upon a circuit, X Y, while G Gindicate arc lamps arranged in series with one another and with thegroup of the translating devices upon said circuit.

B indicates a derived-circuit coil of high resistance in a derivedcircuit to the group of translating devices, so that upon a diminutionin the number of translating devices in action current will flow inincreased amount in the derived-circuit coil, owing to the increase ofresistance in the group. g

In the main circuit with the group of lights E is a main-circuit coil,A, acting in. opposition to the derived-circuit coil B after a wellknownmanner, the coils B and A being wound upon the same magnetic core, 0, soas to pull in opposite directions. coil B tends to lower the core, andthe maincircuit coil A to raise the same. A spring may assist themain-circuit coil, if desired, in this action.

In a branch around the group of lamps E and the main-circuit coil A isarranged a number of artificial resistances (indicated at F) in the formof incandescent lamps. These resistances are arranged in multiple arc toone another, and are connected severally to a series of springs orspring-actuated levers, d e f g, in line with one another, and adaptedto be connected one after the other to a terminal spring-lever, c. Forthis purpose an arm or lever, D, or other operating device connectedwith the coil 0, presses the spring-lever 0 up against the series oflevers d e f g. The spring 0 is connected to the main circuit, asindicated, upon one side of the main-circuit coil A and the group oflamps E. while the resistances F are connected with the main circuitupon the other side of such apparatus. It will be obvious from thisdescription and the arrangement shown, that when the arm or lever D isin the position indicated, no current can flow in the branch around thegroup of lampsE; but when the spring-lever c is pressed against d thelamps at F will be thrown into circuit one after the other, as thesprings d e f g are The derived-circuit pressed into contact,with theobvious effect of gradually diminishing the resistance in th branchcontaining them.

In the normal action of the apparatus, all the lamps in the group Ebeing in the circuit current will flow in main-circuit coil A and in thederived circuit B in such proportion that the lever D will be 'held inthe position indicated, or so as to permit the spring-lever c to standout of contact with the contact on d. The adjustment may be eflectedthrough a spring, W, acting in opposition to the derivedcircuit coil B.If, now, from accident or from anyjother cause, one of the lamps E isextinguished, the current which formerly passed through all of the lampsnow has to pass through the remaining lamps of the group E, thus raisingthe potential at their terminals by reason of the increased totalresistance of 3 the group, and causing more current to pass through thefine-wire coil B. The circuit being a constant-current circuit, thecurrent in the coarse-wire coil A will not have varied through theincrease of resistance in the group, and theincrease of circuitin thederived-circuit coil B will therefore cause the core to be drawn downagainst the action of the main-circuit coil and retractor. By thismovement the arm D or other operating device is drawn down so as toforce the contact 0 against the contact d, thus putting into circuit oneof the individual resistances or lamps F, which latter are preferablyconstructed to possess individu-' ally a resistance equal to one of thegroup of mo lamps or other translating devices E. By this means thepotential of the group is brought down to normal, there being now asmany paths provided for the current as before, inasmuch as the lamp orother resistance at F, substituted for the lamp or translating device atE, removed from circuit, is of equal resistance, and is in multiple arcwith said group. Under ordinary arrangements and without some specialprovision the core-armature or other magnetic device operated by thecoil B would immediately fall back to its original position upon theeffecting of the adjustment just described, inasmuch as the totalresistance to which it forms a shunt has again become normal. In orderto prevent this action from taking place, I automatically decrease theopposing effects due to the maincircuit coil A. This is done in thepresent in-' I stance by causing the current which passes through thevariable resistance controlled by the parts,which may be done by theelectrical constructer, the decreased opposing power in the main-circuitcoil A may be made such that when the adjusting devices assume each newposition, the resultant of the opposing actions of the coils B and Ashall remain substantially the same for practical purposes. It will ofcourse be understood that under the action just supposed the rctractorXV exerts an opposition of uniform amount. This might readily be securedin a practical way by making the spring \V very long or by sub stitutingfor it a weight or other gravity-retractor properly arranged to opposethe effect of the derived-circuit coil B. Should the eX- ti nguishedlamp be again put into circuit, the potential of the group is lowered,the currentflow in the shunt-coil B is weakened, and the arm I) is drawnback by the retractor and the main-circuit coil A, thus cutting outlamps or individual resistances at F with the effect of increasing theresistance in the branch containing said lamps, and thus bringing thepotential at the terminals of the group E E back to normal. The currentthat previous to such adjustment passed through the resistance at F nowpasses through the coarse-wire coil A, strengthening the same, so thatthe core and the arm or operating device I) may be held in its newposition.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular formof resistance at F, or to any particular construction of differentialelectromagnct or solenoid.

l have shown the single core with the main and derived circuit coilswound thereupon and acting in opposite directions as a typical form of adifferential arrangement.

The principles of the device shown in Fig. 1 would be preserved in anyarrangement such that a differential action, mechanical orelectromagnetic, of the coarse and fine wire coils is obtained, thedevices actuated or operated by such coils being made to actuate the adjusting devices for the variable resistance in the shunt around the groupof devices E.

In practice it may be found desirable to vary the form or constructionof the switch devices controlling the resistance F; but there are manywell-known constructions of switches for such purposes. I do not deem itneccssary to describe any such in detail, as the manner of applying andoperating them is well known to electricians, and may be variedindefinitely and yet at the same time effect the particular operationsnecessary to produce a variation of resistance in the branch around thegroup of lamps.

In the arrangementshown in Fig. 2 the coil A. assists thederived-circuit coil, and I have therefore to automatically increaseinstead of decrease its effects when the derived circuit effects anadjustment for cxtinguishment of a lamp or lamps at E. The coils arehere shown as acting in separate cores connected by a nonmagnetic link,m although they might obviously act on the same core, as is wellunderstood in the art. The coils conspire to move the cores in the samedirection (downward in the figure) against any suitable retractor, whichmay be aspri ng,or preferably a weight,

as the retraetile power of the latter may be made constant for alltemperatures, and does notvary, as does a spring, under differences ofextension. it is obvious that the parts might be inverted in position,so that the coils would have to act against the gravity of the cores.The coils A are in a circuit with the artificial variable resistance,instead of in the main circuit, the obvious effect being that currentwill flow through them in increasing amount under conditions ofadjustment or action which in Fig. 1 would cause current to flow throughthem in decreasing amount. The coils B and 0 act in conjunction to pulldown the cores and lessen the rcsistancein the branch around the groupof lamps E. Normally their action is so counterbalanced by theretracting force that there is no shunting effect. If a lamp be cut out,the coil 13 increases in power,and with the assistance of A effects theadjustment be-.

fore described with the effect of diminishing the current flowing in itsown coils. This diminution is compensated for and the core preventedfrom falling back by the increased flow of en *rent in thecoils'A,which, being in the variable shunt around E, obviously carrymore current than they did before the adjustment took place. Theprinciple of action is obviously the same as in the first instance. Thecontacts are here shown as mounted on springs instead of uponspring-actuated levers.

As before intimated, I do not limit myself to any special constructionof coils, cores, or magnets, my invention consisting, broadly, in theapplication of the second coil to the de rived-circuit coil and inautomatically governing the effects of said second coil, so that the sumor the difference of action of the two coils maybe regulated or governedin accordance with the variations in the power of the derivedcircuitcoil consequent upon the lowering ofits power by the effect of anadjustment for variations in the number of translating devices that areat any time in multiple are at What I claim as my invention is 1. Thecombination of an adjustable or variable resistance, a workingresistance of variable amount, a derived-circuit coil, and amain-circuit coil, said main and derived eircnit coils acting incombination to effect an adjustment of the resistance, and meanscontrolled by the set or adjustment of the parts for giving themaincircuit coil a variable action or effect, as described.

2. The combination, with a working resistance, of devices for adjustingthe flow of current to the same in accordance with varia tions ofworking resistance, a derived-circuit helix carrying the current bywhich the adjustment is effected, and an opposing main.- circuit helixaround which is an automaticcally-variable resistance, as described.

3. The combination, with a working resistance and a variable resistance,of a main and derived circuit coil orheliX by the differential ICCaction of which the resistance is adjusted, said resistance being in abranch around the main circuit helix, as described.

4. The combination, with a group of incandescent lamps or other workingresistance arranged in multiple are, of a variable resistance in abranch around the lamps, and amain and derived circuit helix by thedifferential action of which the resistance is adjusted, saidmain-circuit helix being arranged in derivation with the adjustableresistance, as described, so that the current flowing to themain-circuit coil will decrease with any de crease of resistanceeffected by the increased power of the derived-circuit helix.

5. The combination, with a multiple-arc group ofincandescent lampsarranged in series with other working resistances or groups ofresistances, of a variable resistance and a main circuit, and aderived-circuit helix by the differential action of which the resistanceis adjusted, said resistance being a shunt to the group of workingresistances and to the maincircuit helix.

6. The combination, substantially as deaction or effect of said secondcoil in accordanee with the extent of adjustment effected, whereby thederived eircuit helix may hold the mechanism in a new adjusted positionwith the same flow of current.

Signed at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,this 23d day of May, A. D. 1885.

MERLE J. VVIGHTMAN.

\Vitnesses: CHAS. E, DUSTIN, W. H. NEWELL.

